Brussels orders us to pay benefits to foreigners with no long-term connection to Britain

UKIP's breakthrough came when the party began to focus on immigration – specifically, on the fact that the United Kingdom, as an EU member, was obliged to open its borders to nationals from the other 26 members. For most British people, this is the single most objectionable aspect of our EU membership.

I am, I admit, in a minority here. I mean, obviously we should control our borders. But I'm not sure that grievance even makes it into my top five. There are just so many other Brussels abominations. For example, how about the fact that all our austerity savings are wiped out, more than twice over, by our annual contribution to the EU budget? How about the malicious regulations aimed at asphyxiating one of the few industries where we enjoy a global lead, namely financial services? How about the environmental and economic calamities of the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies? How about the primacy of EU over British law? How about the way the EU subverts democracy, not just in Brussels, but at national level – the phenomenon regular readers will know as its Hideous Strength? How about (and this is perhaps the most damaging of all) the fact that, while we are trapped behind the Common External Tariff, we cannot sign bilateral trade accords with those continents which are growing – which is to say every continent on Earth except Antarctica and Europe?

Here's the thing, though. None of those issues has achieved anything like the cut-through that immigration has. Which is what makes the EU's attempt to strike down our laws on eligibility to benefits for foreign nationals so disastrous from a Europhile point of view. People's sense of fairness is understandably outraged. Entitlement to social security is a privilege of nationality, and the ability to determine who can and can't claim is central to the sovereignty of a state. There is also a basic principle at stake, namely that you shouldn't be able to draw out of a pot that others have filled, but you have not. And, of course, people are angry at the way the EU seems to make up the rules as it goes along.

In consequence, virtually the whole of Britain is united in opposing the Commission. Iain Duncan Smith, the minister in charge, has vowed to fight the proposal every step of the way. UKIP, naturally enough, is saying "we told you so". But, equally, campaigners for EU membership, such as the Lib Dems and the think-tank Open Europe, are backing IDS.

I know a lot of people are pessimistic about carrying a referendum in favour of withdrawal. But don't underestimate the sheer oafishness of Eurocrats. Here is the Commission saying, in effect, "even foreigners who have no connection with the UK, and show no signs of looking for work, must be entitled to the same welfare regime as those who have contributed through tax and National Insurance." And we're expected to vote to remain in this organisation? Good luck with that one, messieurs.